Tips on AAA Maintenance

1. Establish a Systematic Maintenance Schedule
2. Document your Maintenance Activities

Daily Checks

  • HPLC for leaks.
  • HPLC lamp for intensity/stability.
  • Injector system for leaks; change seals as needed.
  • Amino acid separation; change column as needed.

Weekly

  • Clean CRT Screens.
  • Run self tests on all equipment.
  • Change and/or clean buffer filters.

Monthly

  • Clean all filters on HPLC and Derivatizer.
  • Clean all fan filters on HPLC and Derivatizer.
  • Check vacuum gauges and change oil.
  • Check and change any pump seals.

Maintenance Schedule

Maintenance Schedule
MONTH JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC
                         
CHANGE INLINE FILTERS (MONTHLY)                        
                         
CLEAN TURNTABLE (WEEKLY)                        
                         
REPLACE O-RINGS (BIMONTHLY)                        
                         
CLEAN CRT SCREEN (WEEKLY)                        
                         
CLEAN FAN FILTER (QUARTERLY)                        
                         
CHECK VACUUM GUAGE 15-17 (MONTHLY)                        
                         
RUN SELF TEST CRT (MONTHLY)                        
                         
RUN SELF TEST DER (BIMONTHLY)                        
                         
CHECK LAMPS (MONTHLY)                        
                         
NEW LAMP (3-4 MONTHS)                        
                         
CHANGE PUMP SEALS (EVERY 4 MONTHS)                        
                         
CHANGE GUARD COLUMNS                        
(AS NEEDED FOR BACK PRESSURE)                        
                         
CHECK FOR REODYNE LEAKS (MONTHLY)                        
                         
NEW COLUMN (2-3 MONTHS)                        
                         

How To Clean And Maintain Gilson Micro Pipets

Test Reproducibility

1. Be sure that the pipet tip fits snugly to the pipet shaft.
2. Obtain a balance that weighs accurately to the tenth of a milligram (e.g., Mettler AE163). Apply a small plastic weigh boat and zero the balance.
3. Apply various amounts of water to the weigh boat and immediately record the weight of each volume.
4. Weigh 2-3 different volumes; repeat each measurement 2-3 times. Shake the water from the weigh boat and re-zero the balance between each application.
5. The following volumes are suggested for weighing .

P10
P20
P200
 5, 8 and 10 µl
5, 10 and 20 µl
20, 50, 100 and 200 µl
6. Average your data. If there is significant variability clean the pipet and change the O-rings. Each pipet should yield 1mg/µl H2O +- 2-3%.

How To Clean And Maintain Gilson Micro Pipets

Cleaning

1. Remove the pipet tip ejection arm and unscrew the shaft coupling.
2. Remove the O-ring and teflon seal at the end of the plastic tube inside the shaft.
3. Remove the metal plunger from the plastic tube and clean with methanol and a kimwipe.
4. Replace the teflon seal and O-ring with new parts

pipet size

p10
p20
p200

 Rainin seal #

44818
23359
44604

 Rainin O-ring #

400071
400013
400067

5. Flush pipet barrel with methanol, scrub with pipe cleaner or Q-Tip, blow-dry with Nitrogen.
6. Replace the metal plunger and re-assemble.
7. Re-test accuracy.

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